High School Musical Degrassi Style
by Stydia.Caskett
Summary: Exactly what the title says. It's High School Musical Degrassi Style. An Eclare story. Hope you like! Reviews please! PERMANENT HIATUS - PM IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TAKE OVER
1. The Ski Lodge

**AN - I really wanted to do a High School Musical version of Degrassi story so bad. Let me know what you think. For people who are reading StarStruck, I'm working on the next chapter, so it'll probably be up this weekend, can't be sure.**

**DISCLAMER: I do not own Degrassi or High School Musical.**

**Songs Used - Start of Something New by High School Musical Cast**

**Enjoyyy :D**

Chapter One - The Ski Lodge

It was New Year's Eve at a vacation resort in the mountains. Snow covered the ground, and stars were sparkling in the clear air. Everyone was beginning to get in to the party mood. That is, except for Eli Goldsworthy and his dad, Bullfrog, who were on the basketball court playing one-on-one. They were covered in sweat, but that couldn't stop them from playing the sport they love.

Eli had the ball, and he was doing a great job getting around his dad. After all, Eli was the star of the high school basketball game, and he was the captain too. Bullfrog is more than just Eli's dad, he's also his coach. So, naturally, Bullfrog gave Eli advice as they played.

"Keep working left, Eli," Bullfrog said. "The guy guarding you in the Championship game won't expect that. You'll torch him."

Eli nodded, breathing hard. "By going left-" He started.

"He'll look middle, and you'll take it downtown."

"Like this?" Eli said, while spinning past his father, jumping, and sinking a reverse layup. The ball glided cleanly through the basket, nothing but net.

"Sweet." They could've played all night, but Mrs. Goldsworthy, who liked to be called CeCe, walked into the gym. She was wearing a nice party dress.

"Boys? Hello?" She called. When she caught their attention she continued. "Did we really fly all this way to play _more_ basketball?"

Eli and Bullfrog glanced at each other slyly. They knew she really didn't want an answer to that question, but they gave her one anyway. In unison, they shrugged and said, "Yes."

CeCe sighed. "It's the last night of vacation. The party...? Remember"

The truth is, they had both totally forgotten the big New Year's Eve party that they lodge was holding, but they knew that they shouldn't admit that.

"Oh right, right," Bullfrog put in quickly. "New Year's Eve." He hesitated. "Do we have to wear funny hats?" He asked his wife.

"Absolutely," She said immediately. "And we're supposed to be at the party in half an hour. Eli, they have a kid's party downstairs in the Freestyle club."

"Kid's party?" Troy groaned.

"Young adults," CeCe quickly corrected. "Now go shower up." Eli heavily sighed, but did as CeCe said. Eli looked back at the basketball court one last time. The championship game is in a couple of weeks. He should be practicing, not going to a stupid 'kid's party'. Besides, how much could this party actually be...

**xoxoxoxoxo**

Meanwhile, in another part of the lodge, Clare Edwards comfortably curled up on a couch reading her book, and enjoying the peace and quiet. Everyone was at the party, and she had totally lost her self in her new book from the _Fortnight _series. It was the best book she's read since, well, the last book from the series.

However, she didn't get to the next page. Her book was lifted out of her hands, and she looked up to see her mother standing over her.

"Clare, it's New Year's Eve," Ms. Edwards said. "Enough reading.

"But Mom, I'm almost done and-" Gabriella started to protest.

Ms. Edwards just shook her head. "There's a teen party. I've laid out your best clothes. Go." Clare eyed her mother's sparkly party dressed and sighed. She knew when she was defeated. She nodded, but asked,

"Can I at least have my book back?" Ms. Edwards handed her the book, and Clare headed towards her room to change. As soon as she was out of her mom's sight, she opened the book and began reading as she walked. She might have to go to a stupid teen party, but she didn't plan to turn her brain off until the very last minute.

**xoxoxoxoxo**

A little time late, Eli and Clare were in the teen club, feeling out of place. It was packed with kids wearing goofy party hats, blowing on noisemakers, and, of course, laughing. Everyone seemed to be having fun, Eli thought glumly. He had showered and dressed in night pants and a pressed shirt, picked out by his mother, but he just wished he could be back on the basketball court.

In a different part of the room, Clare sat by herself, wearing the clothes her mother had laid out. Clare though, "I could be back in my room reading. I was just getting to the good part too!"

Neither of the two kids was having any fun at all. Most of the kids in the room were watching the karaoke contest that was happening on the stage. As the two teenagers currently singing finished their song, the emcee called out cheerfully, "How about that for a couple of snowboarders?" The audience cheered, and the emcee started looking around the room, trying to spot anyone else willing to sing karaoke to a room full of strangers. Spotlights swirled over the crowd and the music played even louder to get the adrenaline pumping.

"All right," said the emcee into the mike. "Let's see who's gonna rock the house next..." That was the cue. The music stopped. The two spotlights picked out the next karaoke 'volunteers.'

One spotlight was on Eli.

The other was on Clare.

Both of the teens were startled, and even a little terrified. They shook their heads, but it was no use. The emcee jumped into the crowd and pulled them onto the stage.

Clare and Eli were mortified. Somehow, they weren't quite sure how it happened, microphones were put in their hands. They were stuck...onstage...the center of attention...no way to escape.

Before either of them could actually faint or throw up from fear, the music started.

"Well, here goes nothing." Eli thought. He might as well make the best of it. He started singing, softly and carefully. He could barely get the words out. It was all he could do to read the lyrics on the screen of the karaoke machine and try to stay on tune. He sang:

"_Livin' in my own world_

_Didn't understand_

_That anything could happen_

_When you take a chance"_

No one seemed to be paying any attention to them. That was a _good _thing. According to Clare. And, after all, if this boy was willing to risk public humiliation, she might as well be a good sport and try to sing too. She opened her mouth and began singing. Although her voice was just above a whisper, it was sweet and pure. She sang:

"_I never believed in_

_What I couldn't see_

_I never opened my heart_

_To all the possibilities"_

All right, she thought. I can do this. It's not too terrible. Okay, Eli thought. At least people aren't throwing things at us. They were both still too nervous to really belt out the song. They kept singing though, alternating the lines of the ballad.

"_I know_

_That something has changed_

_Never felt this way_

_And right here tonight_

_This could be the start of something new_

_It feels so right_

_To be here with you, ooh_

_And now looking in your eyes_

_I feel in my heart, the start of something new"_

Finally, they looked at each other, hoping for a little help from their partner in embarrassment. As they really saw each other, they both felt something they had never felt before. Eli felt a spark of electricity fun over his skin. Clare felt a warm glow flood through her body. They smiled and, for the first time, began singing to each other. They sang more loudly, more boldly, with more self-assurance.

Suddenly everyone in the room started to notice: there was something special going on up on stage. Kids began crowding around the edge of the stage, listening and swaying to the music. Now Eli and Care were starting to enjoy themselves. Their nervousness was forgotten as they smiled into each other's eyes.

"_Now who'd ever thought that_

_We'd both be here tonight_

_And the world be so much brighter_

_With you by my side_

_I know that something has changed_

_Never felt this way_

_And right here tonight_

_This could be the start of something new_

_It feels so right to be here with you, ooh_

_And now looking in your eyes_

_I feel in my heart, the start of something new"_

Before long, they were dancing across the stage and back again, as confident as if they were performing at an arena. As they moved to the music, they never took their eyes off of each other.

"_I never knew that this could happen_

_Till it happened to me, ooh yeah_

_I didn't know it before_

_But now it's easy to see_

_It's a start of something new_

_It feels so right_

_To be here with you, ooh_

_And now looking in your eyes_

_I feel in my heart_

_That it's the start of something new_

_It feels so right_

_To be here with you, ooh_

_And now looking in your eyes_

_I feel in my heart_

_The start of something new_

_The start of something new_

_The start of something new"_

When the song was over, the crowd applauded and cheered. Eli and Clare smiled, breathless and a little stunned by what had just happened.

Eli leaned over and said, "I'm Eli."

Clare nodded. "Clare."

Neither one of them could stop smiling. Both of them felt an excited, fizzy feeling inside, as if the world had just become a lot more fun.


	2. Welcome to Degrassi

Chapter 2 - Welcome To Degrassi

They were still giddy from their performance, so they went for a walk outside in the cold, sparkling air.

"You have an amazing voice," Eli said. "You're a singer right."

Clare shrugged. "Just the church choir, is all." She smiled and admitted, "I tried to do a solo and nearly fainted."

"Why is that?" he asked, surprised.

She shook her head at the memory. "I took one look at all the people staring only at me, and the next thing I knew, I was staring at the ceiling. End of solo career."

"The way you sang tonight, that's hard to believe," he said sincerely.

"This is the first time I've ever done something like that," she answered.

Eli knew how she felt. "Completely," he agreed.

"You sound like you've done a lot of singing too," she said.

"Oh, sure, lots," he said jokingly. "My shower head is very impressed with me."

At that moment, everyone around them started chanting in unison: "Ten! Nine! Eight! . . ." The New Year's countdown had begun. Eli and Clare glanced at each other, then looked away just as quickly. "Seven! Six! Five! Four! . . ."

"This was a magical night," Clare thought, wishing it would last longer.

"I can't believe I didn't want to come to this party!" Eli thought. "This was awesome!"

"Three! Two! One!" Everyone began cheering and blowing on their noisemakers. Fireworks burst I'm then sky in showers of red, gold and blue. Everyone was celebrating, but Eli and Clare were suddenly feeling awkward.

"People kiss each other on New Year's Eve," Eli thought. "Should I?"

"It's tradition to kiss when the clock strikes midnight," Clare thought. "Will he?"

Neither one moved. After a few seconds, she smiled and said, "I guess I better go find my mom and wish her Happy New Year."

Eli nodded. The spell was broken, and he was a little relieved. "Me too," he said. "Well not your mom, my mom . . . and dad. I'll call you tomorrow." He pulled out his cell phone, quickly snapped a photo of her, then handed her the phone. "Put your number in."

Clare grabbed her own phone and handed it to him. "You too." They quickly switched phones and tapped in their numbers. Then Clare turned to leave. Eli stopped her.

"Singing with you was the most fun I've had on this entire vacation," he said sincerely. "Where do you-"

Another series of fireworks exploded overhead, drowning out whatever he was saying. Clare was already at the stairs. She waved back, smiling, then vanished. Eli stood absolutely still, gazing after her, then whispered her name. "Clare."

xoxoxoxoxo

A week later, school had started again at Degrassi High School in Toronto, Canada. It was the first morning back after winter vacation, and the scene was bedlam. Kids were piling out of buses, yelling at each other, showing off their new clothes.

As Eli entered the courtyard, under the banner that read "Happy New Year, Panthers!" other students gave him high fives, low fives and side fives.

His best friend and basketball teammate, Adam, came up to him, yelling, "Yo dude! Eli, my hoops boy!" Adam was the loyal number two to Eli's number one, and before Eli could blink, he found that Adam had drawn in all the other members of the team. They were happy to see him, excited to be back together and totally keyed up about the championship game, now just a couple weeks away.

"Hey Adam," Eli said. He waved at the other players. "Dudes...Happy New Year."

"Oh yes, it'll be a Happy Panthers New Year!" Adam shouted. "Because in two weeks we are going to the championships, withyou leading us to infinity and beyond!"

Eli laughed, the other members of the Panthers basketball team nodded and high-fived each other. Adam was right. They were about to fulfill their destiny!

At that moment, Jenna and K.C. Middleton pushed their way through the basketball posse. Both of them tossed their hair as only co-presidents of the Drama Club could. As usual, Jenna looked Barbie-doll perfect, with blown-out hair, full makeup and fashionable clothes. Her brother, K.C., looked just as hip.

Fitz, one of the basketball players, watched Jenna as she haughtily pushed her way through the crowd. "Hey, the ice princess has returned from the North Pole," he muttered to his crew.

"Yeah, she probably spent the holidays the way she always does," Adam said.

Drew, another basketball player and Adam's brother, willingly filled the role of straight man. "How's that?" he asked.

"Shopping for mirrors!" Adam cracked. He howled like a wolf in appreciation of his own joke. His teammates joined in.

Still howling, they walked by Alli Bhandari, the president of the Chemistry Club, who was accompanied by a few of her brainiac friends. Alli scornfully eyeballed the basketball players, then said to her friends, "Ah, behold the zoo animals heralding the new year. How tribal." As her friends haughtily agreed, the bell rang and everybody hurried to their homerooms.

xoxoxoxoxo

The crowds had thinned somewhat as Principal Simpson walked down the hall, escorting a new student. It was a nervous Clare and her mother, who were trying to listen as the principal gave them his sales pitch. "We're consistently rated in the top ten academically in the province, and I think you'll also find this is a wonderful community atmosphere." Principal Simpson said.

Clare tried to smile as she peeked in a window of a classroom door. The scene inside was total, first-day-back-at-school, chaos. Her stomach flipped over and she cast an appealing look over to her mother.

"Mom, my stomach-" She started.

"-is always nervous on the first day at a new school." Ms. Edwards finished reassuringly. "You'll do great, you always do. And, I've made my company promise that I can't be transferred again until you graduate."

Clare smiled weakly. This was always the worst part, she reminded herself.

"Worry not, Clare." Principal Simpson said. "I've reviewed your impressive transcripts, and I expect your light will shine very brightly here at Degrassi."

Clare knew he was trying to be helpful, but her stomach twisted even more at these words. "I don't want to be the school's freaky genius girl again," she whispered to her mom.

Mrs. Edwards hugged her. "Just be Clare," she said warmly.

Clare went to her homeroom with Ms. Dawes, the school's drama teacher. True to her theatrical background, Ms. Dawes was flamboyantly dressed in a long, flowing dress and wore oversized glasses. Clare quickly took her seat, doing her best to be invisible. She didn't see Eli enter with his best bud, Adam, but as Eli said hello to other students, he caught a glimpse of her from the corner of his eye.

Surprised, he craned his neck for a better look, but the other students kept getting in the way. "That girl," he thought. "She looked just like-but what would the girl from New Year''s Eve be doing here...?" Before he could get a better look, the final bell rang and everybody scrambled to sit at their desks.

Ms. Dawes stood in front of the class as if she were taking center stage in a Broadway theater. "I trust you all had a splendid holidays," she said. "Check the sign-up sheets in the lobby for new activities, especially our winter musical. There'll be single auditions for supporting roles, as well as pairs auditions for our two leads-"

Adam looked around at his basketball teammates, grinned, and blew a raspberry at the mention of the musical.

Ms. Dawes glared at him. "Mr. Torres this is a place of learning, not a hockey arena!" She snapped.

Eli was still craning his neck, trying to see the new girl who looked so much like Clare. Finally, frustrated, he pulled his cell phone from his pocket and thumbed through the menu. The picture of Clare that he took on New Year's Eve popped up on the screen. He stared at it, remembering that magical night, as Ms. Dawes happily burbled on.

"There is also a final sign-up for next week's Scholastic Decathlon Competition," she said. "Chem Club president, Alli Bhandari, can answer you questions on that."

Meanwhile, Eli hit the send button on his phone. Suddenly, Clare's phone started ringing wildly. At first, she didn't even react. After all, who would be calling her?

Jenna and K.C. grabbed for their phones. After all, wouldn't _every_ call be for them?

Ms. Dawes strode to the front of the room, the light of battle in her eyes. "Ah, the cell phone menace returns to our crucible of learning!" she cried. She grabbed a plastic bucket labeled "Cell-itary Confinement" and held it out to the brother and sister. "Jenna and K.C., your phones please, and I'll see you in detention."

They rolled their eyes, but deposited their phones in the bucket. The ringing, however, went on. Ms. Dawes' gaze swept the room, searching for the source of the nefarious ring. Blushing, Clare fumbled in her backpack. As she finally dug her phone out and started to turn it off, she saw...Eli Goldsworthy's photo? Her eyes widened with surprise and she accidentally hit answer instead of end.

Now Eli was staring in surprise at his phone, where he saw Clare's photo. But Ms. Dawes was looming over Clare and holding out her plastic bucket.

"We have zero tolerance on cell phone use during class," the drama teacher said sternly. "So, we'll get to know each other at detention. Phone please...and welcome to Degrassi, Miss Edwards."

As she walked back to the front of the class, she saw Eli holding his phone and held out her bucket. "Mr. Goldsworthy, I see your phone is involved as well. Splendid, we'll see you in detention."

Eli sighed and dropped his phone in the bucket. Behind him, Adam protested. "That's not even a possibility Ms. Dawes, your honor, because, you see, we have basketball practice and Eli is-"

Ms. Dawes whirled around and glared at him. "That's fifteen minutes for you, too, Mr. Torres, count 'em!"

At the back of the class, Alli smirked and whispered to one of her brainiac friends, "That could be tough for Adam, since he probably can't count that high." She should have known better. Ms. Dawes had better hearing than a bat.

"Alli Bhandari," she said sharply. "Fifteen minutes."

Alli's jaw dropped. She had never had to serve a minute of detention in her entire life! But, it was no use protesting. Ms. Dawes had already whirled around to survey the rest of the class.

"Shall the carnage continue? Vacation is over, people. Way over! Any more comments? Questions?"

Drew, one of the basketball players, thought it was about time to restore a good mood to this morning's homeroom. He raised his hand and asked sincerely, "So how were your holidays, Ms. Dawes?"

Everyone looked at him in disbelief, the bell rang. The class bolted for the door, relieved to be free of Dawes' rule for the time being.

**AN - Hey guys! Since it's the long weekend for me, I decided to update! I hope you guys like the chapter! Anyway, Drop The World Part 2 in 20 minutes! So excited! I'll try and update again this weekend, soo look out!**

**-eclare1024**


	3. Basketball Practice

**AN - Hey guys! Sorry I've basically disappeared from Fanfiction! It's been a hectic year, with school and all these community projects I'm doing, and camp. I just got back from a community service trip, so I'll try to update when I can. I still have a hectic summer ahead! Reviews please?**

**Summary - Exactly what the title says. It's High School Musical Degrassi Style. An Eclare story.**

**Disclaimer - I do not own Degrassi, or the characters :(**

* * *

Chapter Three – Basketball Practice

Eli waited anxiously in the hall outside of Ms. Dawes's homeroom, hanging back as his friends went on to their next classes. Finally, Clare came out, and he walked toward her, hardly able to breathe. When Clare saw him, her eyes widened in disbelief.

She said, "I don't-"

"-believe it," Eli finished in a whisper.

Clare nodded. "Me-"

"-either," Eli finished again. "but how…"

"My mom's company transferred her, and she wanted me to be close to her. So I transferred from Lakehurst to here," Clare explained. She shook her head in disbelief. "I can't believe you live here. I looked for you at the lodge on New Year's Day, but-"

We had to leave first thing," Eli said, still whispering.

Clare looked puzzled. "Why are you whispering?"

He looked a little embarrassed. "Oh, well, my friends know I went snowboarding, but I didn't tell them about the…singing…thing."

"Too much for them to handle?" she asked knowingly.

"It was…cool," Eli said quickly. He didn't want her getting the idea that he hadn't liked their singing debut. "but, my friends-that's not what I do. That was like a…a different person."

They had reached the bulletin boards where activity sign-up sheets were posted. Eli pointed at the sheet for the winter musical auditions.

"Now that you've met Dawes, I bet you can't wait to sign up for that," he said, grinning.

"Why is that?" Clare looked confused.

Eli smiled, she looks cute like that, he thought. "Oh, you don't know, Dawes runs the musical. It's her soft side showing."

Clare laughed. "I won't be signing up for anything here for a while," she said. "I just want to get to know Degrassi." She glanced at him shyly. "But, if you signed up, I'd consider coming to the show."

Eli shook his head. He couldn't even imagine the reaction he'd get if he signed up for the Degrassi musical. "That's completely impossible," he said.

From behind him, Jenna's voice said sweetly, "What's impossible, Eli? I wouldn't think 'impossible' is even in your vocabulary." As they turned to look at Jenna, she gestured toward Clare. "So nice of you to show our new classmate around."

She raised one eyebrow as she saw Clare looking at the musical sign-up sheet. Very deliberately, Jenna stepped in front of Clare, and signed her name with a flourish. In fact, Clare noticed, Jenna's signature took up the entire sign-up sheet.

But Jenna looked at her, the picture of innocence, and said, "Oh, were you going to sign up, too? K.C. and I have starred in all of Degrassi's productions, and we really welcome newcomers." She smiled, ever so sweetly, then added, "There are a lot of supporting roles in this show. I'm sure we could find something for you."

"No, no," Clare said hastily. "I was just looking over the bulletin board. Lots going on at this school. Wow." I'm babbling, she thought. I have to stop it! "Nice penmanship," she added weakly, before hurrying away to her first class.

Now that Jenna had been left alone with Eli, she decided to seize the opportunity. "So, Eli," she said coyly, "I missed you during vacation. What'd you do?"

He shrugged. "Practiced basketball. Snowboarding. More basketball."

Jenna nodded cheerfully, and, using all of her dramatic training to sound as if she really cared, asked, "When's the big game?"

"Two weeks." Eli sounded resolute, determined. Two weeks until we're either champions-or we're not, he thought.

"You're so dedicated," Jenna said, batting her eyelashes just a bit. After a moment, she added, "Just like me! I hope you'll come watch me in the musical. Promise?"

Just like Jenna to bring the conversation back to herself, Eli thought wryly. But he smiled and nodded as he walked away.

**xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo**

A few hours later, Eli and the basketball team had gathered in the gym for practice. Eli and Adam challenged each other by running a pressure drill, while the others ran a weave drill.

"Hey, you know that Degrassi-musical thing?" Eli asked as he tried to dribble around Adam. "Is it true you get extra credit just for auditioning?"

"Who cares?" Adam asked as he blocked Eli.

Eli raised one eyebrow, and tried to scoot around Adam from the other side. "It's good to get extra credit…for college and all," he said, trying to sound casual.

Adam laughed and shook his head. "Do you think that great basketball legends ever auditioned for a Degrassi musical?" he asked mockingly.

"Maybe…" Eli said hesitantly.

"Eli, the music in those shows isn't hip-hop or rock, or anything essential to the culture," Adam explained patiently. "It's like…show music. Costumes, makeup." He shuddered. "Frightening."

Eli shrugged, still trying to sound like it was no big deal. "I thought it might be a good laugh. Jenna's kind of cute too."

Adam looked at him with total disbelief. "So is a mountain lion, but you don't pet them."

Eli nodded, and gave up for the moment. Time to take charge of this practice, he thought. Time to focus. The championship game, he reminded himself sternly, is only weeks away. He turned to his team. "All right, let's come in, run the passing drill," he yelled.

The team quickly took their positions, and began tossing the basketballs, and weaving around each other with ease developed through hours of practice. The swishes of the basketballs being passed around started to create a rhythmic tempo, and Eli began to call out the practice drills.

"_Coach said to_

_Fake right_

_And break left_

_Watch out for the pick_

_And keep an eye on defense_

_You gotta fly the give and go_

_And take the ball to the hole_

_But don't be afraid_

_To shoot the out side 'J'"_

The Panthers had developed a team motto, and now Eli shouted it to get teammates pumped up:

"_Just keep ya' head in the game_

_Just keep ya' head in the game_

_Just keep ya' head in the game_

_And don't be afraid to shoot the outside 'J'"_

The team members smiled and moved even faster, smoother, better. Eli was a great captain, and he could motivate them like no one else. Eli grabbed a basketball and joined the drills, dribbling left around one player, and right around another, still calling out drills. When practice ended, everyone took a deep breath, smiling at how great they felt and how great they had looked. The Panthers were definitely good to go for the championship!


End file.
